The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1887-08-17
JEFFERSON DAVIS REPLIES.
Governor Curtin and the Story of the Pro-
posed ASSASSINATION.

Governor CuTtin ana the story OF the trC
posed ASSASSINATION.
70 the Editor Of the New York World
My attention has been called to lettel
OF eX-GoveTnor Curtin, published in tn,
Herald Of the 18th inst, in regard to ar
alleged completely on his part with {
purpose to assassinete me during The
war between the States, and also to ;
letter from W;lkesbarre, Pa, on til.
same subject published in the World o.
the 18th inst. I solicit the use OF your
columns to make a brief statement G!
the facts, 50 far as they are known to me.
Governor Curtin makes two mistakes
in bis letter. First, that l had made
public accusation against him and that
had alleged that he was to pay 800, ,00t
10 Desperate for my assassination. Al
this, based on a newspaper article pur.
porting to be the report Of an ''inter-
view" held with me for publication By
newspaper correspondent. Such was
not the case. \ wei!-known historian
proposed to write my biography, and
asked NE 70 give him for that purpose
an account ot attempts made during the
war to a=SnSsinate me.
| told him IL that connection, and for
that purpose, that al anonymous lettc:
OF warning hal been sent to me from
Philadelphia to the effect that the gov
ernor of PenGsy lv&n;G had released from
! the rcritentiary a notorious convict ca
condition that he would 60 to the South
and assaSsiua.c rle, and ii successful, he
was to receive aS q reward 500, 0GO.
Though the IeSter dld use the name Of
Governor Curtin, | c4itted it il M
statement Of the substance Of the Letter,
! ard as the writer did not state how tie
money promised was to be raised, l did
not attera3t to supply tbs omission.
Indeed, II @:as qal:e IL portant to me
whether /: came from Il secret service
fund, from the private purse Of the go7-
! ernor, o. was contributed ny others WHO,
with Ike zeal, shifted the battle from
alar and cried havoc.
The anonymous letter acquired an i'm
portance it would not otherwise have
possessed from the jact that about tie
time OF its receipt. when going to my
residence at The usual hour, saw man
crouchi;5g h2s:2e the basement wall OF;
the pa!ing Of the yard fence and looking
intGntiy towards TIE gate entrance. In
stead Of proceeding 20 the gate tuned
and went towarli the crouchinS figure.
As he was approached, he rose, lied AMI
escaped, Tie importance th@s given to
the anonymous letter induced me to Il
close it to tie Hon. Y. i. Reed, Of
Philadelphia, with i. request that IL:
would make such inquiry IS 10 him
might be practicable 70 discover the
writer, and to verify OF disprove the
statements.
Governor Curtin's emphatic contra
dictiou" Of the accusations against him
pertains not to NE, but to the writer of
the letter, who is unknown to me, and
for whom [ have moi vOuched.
The avowal Cf Governor Curtin .:
zeal to maintain the government b.
honorable warfare, and tie denial that
he ''eycr rcsortc;i 10 such means for the
conduct 9: tne war: mark a commend
able appreciation OF the obligations OF
civilized war, and it is pity .hat there
should be aaytaing to interrupt the cur
rent OF his ssi::- :audatlou. The letter
from Wiikesbarye, already referred to,
certainly reveals conduct not very differ
ent from that alleged by the anonymous
letter-writer. 1t thereby appears that
Governor Curtin received an application,
apparently from the United States war
department., Tor the release from tie
Pennsylvania peniJentiary CT > notorious
convict, that he might ''be sent over the
lines fox = a:?aeilic purpose On this
and other Ike representation It appears
that III order was issued by the governoc
for the release of tie convict. It IS not
shown that the governor knew or
thought rr2rer 20 inquire for what
SPECIAL service the general Of the army
required a convicted criminal; that tic
fact that be Was to be employed AZ tAe
South WAS enough to secure co.npiianc"
with the application. 70 az average
mind insers upo2 Memorable warfare
tie orasllon would naturally have arisen
for va; proper duty with the army can
a convict De particularly qualified? In
the absence of ln!ormaflG-i on that point
it hight have bee. reasonably supposed
tll:.t the '33.,eciic purpose was to 10 al
act ,,nicii a soldier worthy of the name
would not perform. Assassination might
readily have been opposed to he such
Specific p,iTCose, and the application
for release haze been postponed for
further information. and refused unless
It shoald SO such as wouId justify COM
,),ian.n !l,- h-ir ri,> :: thn ss1I1,Dc:a" within